Reading List

The sources below support this course and can help you confirm local arrangements in your nation or area.

Use the list to check current directories, service routes and four-nations pathway examples. Local practice protocols and local directory entries are the definitive source for live signposting decisions.

1. Care Navigation, Directories and Finding Services

• NHS England - How to improve care navigation in general practice
  The NHS England guide covering care navigation processes including directories of services, structured information capture, patient communication and safety considerations.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/how-to-improve-care-navigation-in-general-practice-2/

• NHS England - Directory of Services
  Describes the NHS Directory of Services, a structured source of service information used in urgent and emergency routing. Explains why live directory data matters.
  https://digital.nhs.uk/services/directory-of-services-dos

• NHS England - NHS Service Finder
  Explains NHS Service Finder, a tool for authorised staff to locate service details. Route details, opening times and eligibility should be checked against current sources.
  https://digital.nhs.uk/services/nhs-service-finder

• NHS - Find services near you
  Public NHS search for local services. Useful as a patient-facing example, while practice teams should use their approved local directory for live decisions.
  https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search

2. Community Pharmacy, Urgent Routes and Dental Care

• NHS England - Pharmacy First
  NHS England overview of Pharmacy First, covering access routes, the seven clinical pathways and pharmacists' roles in safety-netting and escalation. Useful for how pharmacy services fit into local signposting protocols.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/pharmacy-services/pharmacy-first/

• NHS England - Referring minor illness patients to a community pharmacist
  Guidance on GP practice referrals to Pharmacy First for lower-acuity minor illnesses and clinical pathway consultations. Covers patient consent, local protocols and the need to avoid blanket redirection.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/community-pharmacy-contractual-framework/referring-minor-illness-patients-to-a-community-pharmacist/

• NHS Inform Scotland - NHS Pharmacy First Scotland
  Patient-facing information about Pharmacy First Scotland. Shows how pharmacy routes differ between nations and why local pathway checks are needed.
  https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/pharmacy/nhs-pharmacy-first-scotland/

• HSCNI - Pharmacy First
  Describes Pharmacy First services in Northern Ireland, illustrating variation in local eligibility and routes.
  https://online.hscni.net/our-work/pharmacy-and-medicines-management/community-pharmacy-services/pharmacy-first/

• NHS England - NHS 111
  Explains NHS 111 as an urgent advice route in England. Use it when safety-netting indicates routine signposting is insufficient.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/urgent-emergency-care/nhs-111/

• NHS England - Urgent treatment centres
  Information about urgent treatment centres in England. Relevant for recognising when a patient should be directed to an urgent-care location rather than routine services.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/urgent-emergency-care/urgent-treatment-centres/

• NHS - How to find an NHS dentist in an emergency
  Patient guidance on urgent dental care, explaining why dental problems often need dental routes rather than routine GP appointments.
  https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/how-to-find-an-nhs-dentist-in-an-emergency/

3. Social Prescribing, Optometry and Four-Nations Context

• NHS England - Social prescribing link workers
  Describes the role of social prescribing link workers in personalised care and how they can be signposted for non-medical practical or wellbeing needs.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/workforce-and-training/social-prescribing-link-workers/

• NHS 111 Wales - What service do I need?
  Welsh NHS route finder for patients. Use it for Wales-specific urgent and service-routing context, while staff should still check local pathways.
  https://111.wales.nhs.uk/what-service-do-i-need/

• Welsh Government - National framework for social prescribing
  Sets out the Welsh framework for social prescribing and how community support routes operate in Wales.
  https://www.gov.wales/national-framework-social-prescribing-html

• Welsh Government - Accessing optometry services in Wales
  Explains access to optometry services in Wales, useful when signposting eye-care issues that follow nation-specific arrangements.
  https://www.gov.wales/accessing-optometry-services-wales

• Scottish Government - Right Care Right Place
  Scottish Government information about using the appropriate care route and choosing suitable services.
  https://www.gov.scot/publications/right-care-right-place-2/

• HSCNI - Phone First FAQs
  Patient-facing information on Phone First arrangements in Northern Ireland, and why following local pathways matters for urgent access.
  https://online.hscni.net/our-work/no-more-silos/phone-first-faqs/